Tracking device for automatic musical instruments.



W. C. P. COLLIGNON.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.-

APPLICATION HLED SEPT-19.19l4.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. W. C. P. COLLIGNON. TRACIHNG DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.APPLXCATION man SEPT. 19. 1914.

.1,260,96&. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM C. 3?. COLLIGNON, OF OBEGGN, ILLINOES, ASSIGNOR TO SCHILLERPIANO COMPANY, OF OREGON, ILLINOIS, A GORPGBATIGN OF ILLINOIS.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2%, 1918.

Application filed September 19, 1914. Serial Ho. 862,421.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. P. Con-LIGNON; a citizen of the United States, residing at Oregon, in thecounty of Ogle and Stateof Illinois, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Tracking Devices for Automatic MusicalInstruments, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to tracking devices for automatic musicalinstruments, such as player pianos and the like.

Prominent objects of the invention are to provide a simple and practicaltracking device by which the traveling music sheet or similarinstrumentality may be automatically shifted laterally with respect toits direction of movement; to arrange for the automatic restoration ofthe traveling music sheet or similar device to normal position, shiftingit in either lateral direction as required to maintain its properlocation; to simplify the mechanism and secure a high degree ofefficiency; and to secure the foregoing and other desirable results in asimple and practical manner.

In carrying out my invention as hereinafter set forth 1 arrange a devicewhich is capable of engaging the two opposite edges of the music sheetand is capable of movement in a direction transverse to the direc tionof travel of the music sheet as caused by a shifting of the latter. Thissheet operated device is arranged in connection with pneumatic mechanismwhereby the movement of the device in one direction or the otheroperates said pneumatic mechanism so as to automatically return themusic sheet to its proper normal positiona The mechanism herein shownmay, of course, be used for other purposes.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a trackingdevice embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing a portion of themechanism;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a detail of construction; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are views showing more particularly the sheet shiftingmechanism.

Referring to the drawings 1 show in Fig. 1 a horizontal support 1 whichis understood to be a supporting member in the construction of a playerpiano or like device. From this mess uprights 2 and 3 between which isextended a cross bar 1, the whole forming a frame for the music sheet 5.This music sheet is mounted on the usual rolls 6 and '2' carried byspindles 8 and 9, respectively. A sliding rod 10 is mounted to slidelongitud nally in the uprights 2 and 3, the longitudinal movement ofsaid rod being transverse to the direction of movement of the musicsheet 5. Said rod is provided with collars or projections 11 and 12separated from.one another substantially the width of the music sheet 5,whereby said projections or lugs will engage the opposite side of themusic sheet. The rod 10 is extended beyond the upright 3 and has aprojecting end l0 which is connected with a valve rod 13 which extendsdown to and is connected with a valve 14-. ihis valve works in guideways15 and rests upon a valve block 16, (Fig. 3), which is provided withthree ports 17 18 and 19. The central port 18 is connected with a duct20 which is understood to be connected by a tube 21 (Fig. 1) with thepressure reducing apparatus. The two side ports 17 and 19 are connectedwith tubular members 21 and 22, respectively which extend to theopposite sides of pneumatic power device having two pneumatic membersand 25 operating a common walking beam 26. The walking beam 26 isconnected with arod 27 which extends downwardly and is connected with acrank arm 28 on a long red 29 which extends back of the music frame tothe right hand side of the music spools where its right hand end isprovided with a crank arm 30. This crank arm 30 is connected with a rod31, which extends to and is pivotally connected with another rod 32,which extends to the bearing for the upper roll spindle 8, to whichbearing said rod 32 is rigidly and firmly connected. A sleeve or collar33 is secured rigidly to the middle frame member or support 3% and isprovided with a cam slot 35 in which the rod 32 may travel. Another rod36 extends down from the swinging end of the rod 32 and is pivotallyconnected with a swinging rod 37 which extends to and is rigidlyconnected with the bearing for the lower music roll spindle 9. Anothercam collar 38 is secured to the middle upright 39, the rod 37 beingarranged to movein a spiral cam groove in said collar 38 similar to thecam groove 35 in the collar 3 Thus it will be seen that a movement ofthe music sheet 5 to one side or the other will cause a movement of thevalve 14, thereby affecting the condition or relation of the ports 17and 19 to the central port 18. A movement of the valve 14 to the left,(Fig. 3) will cause the port 17 to be connected with the port 18 and theport 19 to be shut off therefrom. A movement of said valve 1 1 totheright will have the opposite efiect. -When said valve 14 is moved inthis way connection is established through one or the other of the ducts21 and 22, and thereby to one side or the other of the compoundpneumatic in the device 23. When the valve 1 1 is moved to the left andthe port 17 connected with the port 18, the left hand pneumatic 2 1 willbe exhausted, causing a collapsing movement on the part of saidpneumatic, and a corresponding expanding movement on the part of thepneumatic 25. When the valve 14 is moved in the opposite direction thepneumatic 25 Will have a collapsing movement and the pneumatic 24 anexpandingone. lhe operation of the walking beam or swinging member 26causes an actuation of the rod 27 and a partial rotation of the rod 29and actuation of the rod 31 by the crank 30. This in turn will cause amovement of the rods 32 and 37 and a shifting movement of the spindles 8and 9 in an axial direction. When the pneumatic 24 is collapsed and thepneumatic 25 expanded the rod 27 will rise causing an upward movement onthe part of the cranks 28 and 30 and consequently an upward movement onthe part of the rod 31 and an upward swinging movement on the part ofthe rods 32 and 37. T his movement will cause the rods. 32 and 37 tomove in their cam grooves in a direction to the right, referring toFigs. 1 and 1 Thus the music sheet is automatically shifted to the rightwhich is a movement of restoration to normal position, the movementwhich'caused the collapse of the pneumatic 2 1 having been a movement ofthe valve 14 to the left as caused by a movement to the left on the partof the music sheet 5. In a similar way a movement of the valve 14 to theright will cause a collapse of the pneumatic 25 and a correspondingdownward movement on the part of the rod 27 and the crank arms 28 and30, and a downward swinging movement on the part of the rods 32 and 37which will cause a movement to the left on the part of the music sheet5, thereby restoring the same to normal or central position. The rod 13may be adjusted relatively to the rod 10 by means of a screw 12, wherebyan adjustment of the valve 14 relative to the rod 12 and the position ofthe music sheet 5 may be secured.

It will be understood that changes'and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A tracking device comprising a member adapted to engage the oppositeside edges of the traveling music sheet, a valve actuated by saidmember, a valve block having three ports controlled by said valve, thecentral port being connected with a source of reduced pressure, abellows arrangement having two pneumatics connected with said other twoports, and means whereby said bellows arrangement causes an actuation ofthe traveling music sheet in a direction transverse to its direction ofmotion.

2. A tracking device comprising a member adaptedto engage the oppositeside edges of the traveling music sheet, a valve actuated by saidmember, a valve block having three ports controlled by said valve, thecentral port being connected with a source of reduced pressure, abellows arrangement having two pneumatics connected with said other twoports, and means whereby the music'sheet is automatically restored tonor mal position by the actuation of said bellows arrangement.

3. A tracking device comprising a 1nember adapted to engage the oppositeside edges of the traveling music sneet, a valve actuated by saidmember, a valve block having three ports controlled by said valve, thecentral port being connected with a source of reduced pressure, abellows arrangement having two pneumatics connected with said other twoports, and means whereby said bellows arrangement causes an actuation ofthe traveling music sheet in a direction transverse to its direction ofmotion, said mechanism comprising rod connections to the music spoolspindles and cam sleeves onsaid spindles having cam grooves cooperatingwith said rod connections.

at. A tracking device comprising a member adapted to engage the oppositeside edges of the traveling music sheet, a valve actuated by saidmember, a valve block having three ports controlled by said valve,

with another crank, a third rod connected with said last mentionedcrank, rods secured to the music spool spindles, another rod connectedwith said music spool spindle rods, and also with said rod connectedwith the last mentioned crank, and cam collars rigidly secured inposition surrounding said music spool spindles, said collars having camgrooves in which said music spool spindle rods may work.

5. The combination of a slidable rod provided with projections adaptedto engage the opposite sides of a music sheet, a valve having a rodconnected with said first mentioned rod, a valve block having threeports to be controlled by said valve, whereof the central port isconnected with a source of reduced air pressure, and a double bellowsdevice having its opposite sides connected with the side ports in saidvalve block.

6. The combination of a slidable rod provided with projections adaptedto engage the opposite sides of a music sheet, a valve having a rodconnected with said first mentioned rod, and a valve block having threeports to be controlled by said valve, whereof the central port isconnected with a source of reduced air pressure.

7 The combination of a slidable rod provided with projections adapted toengage the opposite side edges of a music sheet, another rod having anadjustable connection with said first mentioned rod, a valve carried bythe second mentioned rod and a valve block on which said valve slides.

8. The combination of a slidable rod pro vided with projections adaptedto engage the opposite sides of a music sheet, a valve having a rodconnected with said first mentioned rod, a valve block having threeports to be controlled by said valve, whereof the central port isconnected with a source of reduced air pressure, and a double bellowsdevice having itsopposite sides connected with the side ports in saidvalve block, said bellows having a connection whereby both ends of thesheet are moved in synchronism,

9. The combination of a slidable rod provided with projections adaptedto engage the opposite sides of a music sheet, a valve having a rodconnected with said first mentioned rod, a. valve block having threeports to be controlled by said valve, whereof the central port isconnected with a source of reduced air pressure, and a double bellowsdevice having its opposite sides connected with the side ports in saidvalve block, said bellows having a connection whereby both ends of thesheet are moved in synchronism, said connections including a camprovided adjacent one end of the spindles of the music sheet.

10. The combination of a slidable rod provided with projections adaptedto engage the opposite sides of a travelino; music sheet, said rodhaving a valve secured to one end thereof, and means whereby said valvecontrols the movement of said sheet in opposite directions, said meansincluding pneumatics, connections from said valve to said pneumatics,and means for moving said sheet transverse to the direction in whichsaid music sheet travels.

11. The combination of a slidable rod provided with projections adaptedto engage the opposite sides of a traveling music sheet, said rod havinga valve secured to one end thereof, and means whereby said valvecontrols the movement of said sheet in opposite directions, saidmovement heing trans verse to the direction in which said music sheettravels.

12. The combination with a tracker bar, of means for effecting arelative adjustment between the tracker bar and a music sheet in adirection transverse to the direction of travel of the music sheet, saidmeans includ ing a device engaging the music sheet so as to be moved inone direction or another by a lateral deviation of the sheet, a valveand a valve port member having three ports in a row, said valve beingadapted to connect the middle port with either end port, and beingconnected with said device so as to be moved in opposite directionsthereby.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day ofSeptember A. D.

WILLIAM C. P. COLLIGNON. -Witnesses KATHRYN V. WArrE, E. B. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

